A New Path: Volume 3 Family
by Chunk127
Summary: The Scoobies gear up for another year on the hellmouth. A new sister, vampire kings, keys, aliens, and gods... bring it on.
1. The Long Awaited Return: Part 1

BTVS is owned by Joss Whedon to the point where it can't be rebooted by anyone but Whedon

Smallville and MK are owned by Warner Brothers I'm pretty sure. If not DC Comics and Netherealm studios

I own neither show as my bank book can prove.

* * *

Faith wondered around the cemetery 3:00 at night. Clark wasn't there when she woke up but it didn't bother her. Her eyes focused on the target as she gave chase. This wasn't the usual chase as Faith caught up to her target like a lion after its prey. She bounced his head off a tombstone. Faith straddled the vampire and brought her stake down hard dusting the vampire.

* * *

A blond haired woman quickly took cover. This is not how she wanted to spend her afternoon. She stayed behind the wall and ducked a volley of fire. "And I volunteered for this crap."

The blond turned around revealing a green bodysuit with armor and that she's not that blond whom is currently chasing down a vampire all on her own. She turned to her soldiers. "Hold your positions they might shoot the hostages."

"Yes Lieutenant Blade." The men saluted.

Sonya smiled feeling a very strong gust of wind; she thought he'd never show up. She turned to see a big boat out at sea and watched with interest. It's all up to him now. The Black Dragon seemingly died with Kano and then these petulant children showed up.

On the boat people armed with guns walked the deck hostages in clear sight each with five pounds of C4 on them. Special Forces move one inch and they'll blow them all away. A man with a green military hat and a glowing red machine sticking out of his chest came out. He watched as the bomb just disappeared from one of the hostages. He watched as each bomb just sort of disappeared followed by one big explosive rise of water miles away.

The man with the green military hat watched as all his men seemingly fell to heaps on the floor. What kind of weapon is this? "Show yourself!"

The man backed up as a stranger just seemingly appeared. He had black hair, Cerulean blue eyes wearing a black duster with black jeans and a black T shirt with a silver S at the center of it.

Clark just tapped the guy on the head watching him collapse on the floor and then hit his earpiece. "Hostages are clear." He punched the floor of the boat making a hole. "I suggest you come help these people before the boat sinks."

Sonya shook her head and used binoculars to see that he knocked out a general in the crime syndicate. "Do you know who you just knocked out?"

"Nope" Clark replied punching another hole but no sign of the two missing people. He took a step further and two grappling hooks shot into the floor next to him and Clark ducked and rolled aside as a black haired man in a similar black duster launched himself at him.

Clark looked at him with X-ray vision. "Give me your hook swords and surrender yourself to the Special Forces and maybe I won't hurt you!"

Mavado smiled and fired each grappling hook at the side of Clark trying to pull a Spider-Man like move. However given whom he's fighting Clark just moved to the left and stuck his arm out causing Mavado to knock himself out when he hit Clark's arm.

Clark went to him and took the two hook swords off him. Clark looked at him for a brief moment and quickly turned around using the hook swords to block twin yellow swords wielded by a bald scar faced man. "And you are?"

"Daegon, the god of Edenia." Clark's opponent replied.

Clark held his swords where they were. "OK" He used heat vision on both of his opponent's blades forcing Daegon to drop his weapons from the burns on his hands. Clark tapped him on the head but when that just wobbled him he backpunched him as Daegon took a tumble and fell to the floor unconscious. "Yeah, you're a god alright." But just in case. "Raiden! Edenian invader."

Raiden showed up in a flash of lightning. It took him all of one second to see who Clark's opponent is. "Daegon!" Raiden pulled the Edenian to his feet by the armor. "The elder gods await you!"

Clark looked at his opponent. "What he do?"

"He murdered his parents. He traveled to earth realm to destroy his older brother and hurt the people in this realm making them easy to conquer. He must face the judgment of the elder gods for what he's done." Raiden grabbed the Edenian and the two disappeared in the same flash of light. Clark looked to the sky, invaders to earth were more of Raiden's territory and given that he knew him it was his call in the end.

"Freeze!"

Clark put his hands up and turned to Sonya. "Why?"

Sonya looked at him. "Didn't know if anyone else was conscious." She saw Mavado and Hsu Hao unconscious. "Was there another guy here?"

Clark nodded. "Yeah, Daegon."

"Did he get away?" Sonya asked.

Clark shook his head. "He said he was from Edenia tried to ask Raiden but he just took him straight to the elder gods."

Sonya's face dropped. "Damn it, they don't exactly have a way to say abducted by the god of thunder in the paperwork. Tell me the nukes are safe."

Clark nodded. "They're down below kind of covered in thick sheets of ice though."

"I'll take care of it." Sonya replied. "Thanks for your help with everything."

"Yeah, now how much are you going to give me to not tell Jax or Johnny you needed help?" Clark asked.

Sonya looked at him with a death glare usually reserved for Kano. But the best people to track down the red dragon were Kabal and Clark, with Kabal out of action that left one whom was kind enough to give her his number at the Wu Shi academy if she ever needed help. "You should probably go, unless you want to have a long talk with the US government about exactly what you are?"

Clark looked at her and even in her scowl he knows she's getting a laugh out of this. "See ya."

Sonya watched as he disappeared in a blur and smiled as she lit up a flare giving the others the signal to enter.

* * *

Faith ran across the cemetery like she was on fire chasing her latest vampire. She caught up to him before grabbing from the back of the head and threw him to the ground. She quickly dodged a couple punches and caught the vampire with a roundhouse kick knocking him down. She got on top of him and pummeled him until she knocked him out. She grabbed her stake with a smile as she staked him through the heart. She looked over and smiled seeing Buffy treat hers in a similar manner.

* * *

Clark walked into the ER room in a blue shirt and jeans. He saw a blond woman asleep and smiled seeing the person in the bed. "So do you even remember me?"

The black haired man looked at him with a smile of disbelief. "I don't think you ever forget the one person who's faster then you. How have you been Kal?"

"It's Clark actually." Clark replied leaning against a wall. "So, how have you been… Officer Kabal."

Kabal looked at him. "You mean besides going after what's left of my old friends and getting critically wounded by a maniac who stabs you with your old swords and then steals them? I'm great. Did Sonya contact you about the black dragon wanna bes?"

"Yeah, we took care of it. Even managed to get these back from Mavado for you." Clark replied showing his hook swords.

Kabal looked at his old weapons in disgust remembering his old life. "Get rid of them. You should probably get out of here before the interns make their rounds."

Clark got to his feet. "Alright just making sure you didn't want them."

Kabal looked at his wife. "I have no use for them. So are you still with that girl Blade told me about? The brunette?"

"Yeah, her name is Faith."

Kabal looked to him. "What's she like?"

Clark thought about it for a moment. "She's one of a kind." He looked at the clock... 3AM! "Who's going to kill me for being out so late!"

Kabal smiled knowing that look from the mirror. "Well then you better get going, thanks for stopping by."

"See ya." Clark disappeared.

* * *

Far above the sky was an astronaut taking a morning float until he looked out the window and saw something just zoom right by it. "I think I just saw a sword. Hey Sergei I think I just saw a sword in space."

"Bohze moi, he's hallucinating again someone get the tranquilizers."

* * *

Faith snuck into her room and found the bed empty as her eyes rose oh this is not good. She's in store for a long talk from Clark. She watched the door open and saw Clark come in. "Were you out for most of the night again?"

Clark looked down and nodded. "Things just kind of kept coming up. I didn't mean to. Sonya says hi."

Faith started working the buttons on her shirt getting it off. "It's fine, just get into bed."

Clark took his jacket and shirt off before hopping into bed with her. "So what did you do tonight?"

"Oh, you know a couple patrols with B until 1, nothing out of the ordinary." Faith assured him as she took off her leather pants and climbed into bed.

Clark wrapped his arms around her. "Well we should get some sleep; I don't think our friends will appreciate you snoring at the beach tomorrow."

"I do not snore!" Faith insisted.

Clark smiled. "I have other nights that say otherwise."

"Your ears are too good probably just picked up one of the neighbors." Faith countered. "Besides at least I don't sound like a barking dog going Rao in the middle of sex."

"Yeah you just sound like it when you're asleep." Clark countered.

Faith grabbed her pillow and just swung it behinds her as it exploded into feathers hitting Clark. She quickly turned around for an ambush only to have Clark quickly grab her around the waist. "Sorry man way too spent for this and we have a big day tomorrow." She lied down on top of him. He wouldn't understand why these extra patrols were necessary.

Clark just held her as she dozed off. He listened as he heard a small snore and fell asleep right behind her.

* * *

The next day at the beach Clark is goofing around playing football with all three slayers, Faith in a black two piece bikini, Buffy in a cute tank top and swim shorts, Claire in a red two piece her hair now done up in pig tails after losing some pride bet to Faith.

Xander, Cordy, Chloe, Willow, and Tara watched in awe wondering how they all got so much energy.

"So what's the score?" Chloe asked.

Xander shook his head. "I have no idea I think they're playing kryptonian football or something. I'm exhausted just looking at them. The splashing and the jumping and the running… Shouldn't relaxing involve less exertion?

Cordy gave a small nod on a much needed day off from college. "Absolutely. Exertion can lead to BO."

"Which can cause the pain and heartbreak of stinky isolation. Better to just stay put." Tara added

Willow just looked at all of them. "I think we've just put our finger on why we're the sidekicks."

Buffy smiled catching the ball. "Oh yeah, touchdown! Go team me!"

Claire whacked Clark in the arm. "Nice blocking now we're behind."

"We'll get it back and hopefully without you burning the sand." Clark countered. Faith practically jumped out of her top when she walked on Claire's sand trap.

Claire gave an innocent shrug. "Hey if they didn't want us using them they wouldn't have put the two fire starters on the same team."

Clark pointed at her. "Just stay focused on Buffy. Besides Faith throws like Wesley,"

Faith's eyes widened hearing that, She throws like Wesley huh. Buffy passes the ball to Faith whom guns it at Clark's ribs as a pop rang out.

* * *

The others watched as Buffy came up carrying a dead pig skin. Claire sitting next to Tara and Willow. Buffy, Faith and Clark just sat down on the opposite side.

Cordy looked at them. "What happened to the game?"

Claire looked up. "Oh, Faith destroyed the evil football trying a gut check on Clark didn't even work."

Faith turned to Claire as she tried to explain. "For the last time I did not mean to pop the ball. I was just throwing a football hot head that's all. I didn't even stun him."

While Faith was defending herself Chloe watched Clark's hand sneak into the cooler and pull out some ice which suddenly became a napkin wrapped in ice that Clark held to his right side for a moment before emptying it into his drink.

Faith turned to Xander. "Hey where's the burgers Xan? Three hungry slayers can't lead to anything good."

Xander looked at her still trying to get the grill to light. "In a minute I think the charcoal is made of water."

Willow turned to Buffy. "So are you excited for drama class?"

Buffy's eyes widened. "Yeah but given who else is, I'm kind of surprised your are th…" She turned to Cordy. "You never told her?"

Cordy gave an honest shrug. "I figured it would be basic logic. I figured she'd know given my major."

"Know what?" Willow asked nervously.

Cordy looked at her. "I'm taking the class with you two."

Willow's eyes rose. "What? Why?"

Cordy gave an honest shrug. "Learning to be a filmmaker and actress Drama class seemed like a natural fit."

Chloe turned to Xander to change he subject. "Still no fire?"

Willow pouted; she hopes Cordy really has changed since high school. "And I was considering casting off computer science and making that my major if it's awesome."

Tara smiled at her girlfriend. "Maybe you should take the class before you re-think your life plan. I mean, it's not like the Goddess Thespia rules your seventh house."

Tara and Willow bust up at this apparently funny thought. Everybody else just looks at them. Willow tries to explain chuckling all the while- Willow kept laughing hoping the others would. "Ohhh, God… See that's… The Goddess Thespia - she was a total drama queen and…" She was starting to run out of steam. "The seventh house, that's like when… Ahhhh… Whooo…"

Tara looked at everyone clearly embarrassed. "It's okay. I keep forgetting... jokes should have funny parts."

Willow shook her head. "It was funny. Super funny and clever and…"

Chloe turned to Xander to change the subject. "Fire ready yet?"

Xander shook his head no trying to control his fury how he can not do something as simple as this frustrates him to no end. "No, it's good to know I lack the culinary finesse of the caveman."

Claire shook her head. "It's not your fault it's Giles grill. It probably was just made to heat up tea and needs two rocks and dead leaves to get a fire going. You want some help?"

Xander nodded.

Claire looked around and once she saw the coast was clear a big trial of fire left her hand and hit the grill setting it ablaze as Xander fell to his back. "I am the god of hellfire and I give you… fire… I gotta stop listening to G's music." She needs more friends.

Buffy looked at her with a smile and pride pity the vampires she runs into. "Claire! Check you out Ms. Pyro!"

Claire gave a smug smile. "That was nothing it's amazing learning all about your fire instead of being poked and prodded by big needles."

Willow looked at the fire starter. "You ever think someone else wanted to light the fire."

Claire held her hand out to the grill. "By all means blow it out and start again."

Boom! Before Willow could even start she is interrupted by a sudden thunder clap. Out of nowhere, clouds gather and a dramatic change in weather ensues… The teens scramble to get out of the sudden downpour.

"I didn't do it, I didn't do it." Willow protested as she scrambled to her feet.

* * *

On the other side of town two unhappy movers jump out of the cab. At least it's triple pay overtime for this. They open the back of the truck revealing a heavy rectangular crate.

They struggle to just unload it.

"Hurry it up I'm getting soaked." One of the movers complained.

"I'm trying, this thing weighs..." The other mover dropped his end as the crate crashes to the ground.

The first mover rolled his eyes rookie's first day he wants to get out of here. "Nice, good job"

They move the crate and see dirt start coming out. The second mover looked at it. "Look at this. Guy's carting dirt around."

The second mover leaned closer, so close he might as well have been wearing a dinner bell. A hand touches him as he backed away startled but it's just his partner. '"Leave it, we'll turn it on its side.

The second mover nods as they turn the crate. "Dirt… Man, rich people are-"

A hand explodes out of the box and with one furious slash cuts the first mover's throat. He gasps for breath as blood pours down his throat and he falls to the floor and a shadowy figure in a cape lunges at the second mover.

* * *

Author notes

Thanks for continuing to follow the story.


	2. The Long Awaited Return: Part 2

Faith woke up in bed the next morning she smiled but rolled over and found nothing. She hits the bed in frustration and quickly gathers her clothes. She walked downstairs and saw Martha and Jonathan in the kitchen. "Let me guess, there's a puppy in a tree somewhere?"

Martha looked away trying not to laugh. "He ran out like an hour ago. I'm sure he had good reasons."

Faith nodded and looked to Martha. "I'm sure he did."

Martha looked at her surrogate daughter and could practically see the little men building the brick wall around her. "Well, if you want to talk."

"Can't, got opening shift at the magic box. So, no time to talk?" Faith replied grabbing a forkful of scrambled eggs for her mouth.

Martha nodded. "I have to open the gallery for Joyce anyway." She went for her coat and was the first one out.

Faith turned her attention to the last person in her way here Jonathan. "Shouldn't you be at work too? You usually leave before everyone else does."

Jonathan shook his head. "No, I got promoted last month. More pay but later hours I don't go in till 9."

Faith looked at him as she buttered up some toast. "Well, good. Just make sure you have a cross and never work with a sore throat,.." Off Jonathan's confused look she added. "You wouldn't be able to call for help."

Jonathan looked at her. Yeah she's right at home with the rest of them. "Faith if you want to…"

"I don't." Faith finished with a definitive tone.

Jonathan grabbed the news paper and opened to any page he could to hide the smirk from Faith. He questioned the idea at first. He especially had doubts the night after graduation but at the end of the day Martha was right. Faith was just a girl who needed someone in her life. Now she's so much a Kent that she even has the stubborn streak down.

After giving Faith a couple minutes to calm down Jonathan put the paper down. Faith was caught off guard when the Elder Kent started to talk. "The first time Clark used his abilities, he'd crawled under a big oak bed that my grandfather had made, and I crawled underneath it to try to get him out. All of a sudden the frame just came up in the air. He... he was a toddler lifting… I don't know… 500 pounds over his head."

Faith let out a smile. "That must have been a sight to see."

"Oh it was." Jonathan assured her. "We were going to take him to a lab you know someone who would better know how to handle him then we would. But Martha she kn… she knew if we did that they would take him away and we would never see him again.

Faith stayed glued in her seat. She never would have thought once. "Can't believe what I'm hearing."

Jonathan grabbed her hand. "Hey, we love Clark today as much as the day we met him. He's our son. But we always knew… we always knew one day that as much as we do love him that the world would always need him more."

Faith sighed and sat back. "Well, that's not news to me. A couple months after we met and about an hour after we decided to give it a chance. I watched Clark jump off the Outworld tower of Babel and bitch slap their god. I always knew the world would need him more, I always knew he would be someone else, be something else. I just… I don't want Clark to disappear. I mean I've seen what happens when you live just for something like this… the grounds of the world are stained in the blood of teenage slayers who had nothing but their calling."

Jonathan looked at her. "Look, you can believe me right now. Clark will never be like that… but if you're afraid he might be then you two need to talk about it."

Faith looked at him and gently detached her hand. "I'll think about it." She got out of her seat and put on a jacket.

Jonathan looked at her concerned. "So what are your plans for tonight?"

Faith shook her head seeing everything. "Sorry but no, I got work all day, then I got patrol at night."

Jonathan let a sigh out seeing his youngest leave. Yeah, she's definitely a Kent now. She's stubborn and instead of opening up when she's ticked off she buries herself in work same as Clark... and himself. She's constantly missing same as Clark at night anymore. "Can't you get Claire or Buffy to cover for you?"

"No, I'll see you tomorrow Pops." Faith replied closing the door as the realization hit of what she just said. Another time when things are less confusing.

* * *

That night Buffy and Joyce are finishing up dinner. Buffy came home as the diligent daughter. Or maybe those slayer instincts just wanted some free food. Either way she came home and got a free meal.

Buffy stayed at her seat letting the food digest. "Thanks, mom. Everything was mega yum."

Joyce looked at her realizing she's soon going to be on her own again. No scoobies barely any Buffy the house is just too empty anymore. "Are you up for desert? We could take a drive, get some ice cream."

Buffy shakes her head wanting to get out of the house. "I would... but I have to get out and patrol."

Joyce looked at the clock. Even for vampires this seems wrong. If they live at night this has to be like 7 in the morning for them. "Now? It's only 8:30."

Buffy feeling a little antsy started to get up to clear the dishes. "Vamps don't care what time it is mom. Dark equals dinner bell."

Joyce looked at her disappointed, but daughter has a sacred duty so the least she can do is try to be a good sport. "Right. Of course… I'm going to have you to get used to this place without you again. It gets so quiet.

Buffy looked at her. How can she give any advice on this without her mother smacking her in the face for what she's recommending. She started kindly. "Well… maybe you should get a pet. A loud one."

Joyce did her best to avoid sending an angry glare at her daughter. She's happy to have Rupert and even more when he brings Claire over but that's it for kids. Maybe a pet but… "Not a cat. Too pathetic."

Buffy nodded in agreement. "Understood. How about a rat? Amy makes a lot of noise on that little wheely thing Willow got her."

Joyce shook her head wondering if she looked pale. "Too creepy."

"Then a puppy." Buffy offered. "One of those kinds with the smooshy face."

Joyce looked at her. "Maybe. I'll think about it."

Buffy nodded. "Good… This was great though"

Joyce smiled. "It was."

Buffy smiled walking towards her mother. "We'll do it again when school starts. Make a regular date night." Buffy kisses Joyce then... "Sorry. Duty calls. It's a total drag."

* * *

Buffy looks like she's enjoying her duty quite a bit. She's rolling on the ground again with another vampire. This one is a whole lot bigger than her... but, again, Buffy fights with primal, animal intensity. In the shadows, a man is watching her. Dark, piercing eyes stare intently… As Buffy gets the upper hand with the huge vamp. The man smiled hearing her kill it in a dust. Buffy sits up, breathing hard again…

The man looked at Buffy intrigued. "An impressive hunt. Such power."

Buffy looked at him for a moment, but it was enough, she immediately sensed this creature's strength, and stood warily waiting for the next move… "That was no hunt. That was just another day on the job. Care to step up for some overtime?"

"We are not going to fight." They man said in a voice of mystery.

Buffy took it in a bit baffled. What's this guy's deal? "Do you understand what a slayer is?"

Now the man smiled knowingly. "Do you?

A tiny bit shaken by the man's self-assuredness and the question itself, Buffy asked. "Who are you?"

"I apologize. I assumed you knew." Everyone usually does. "I am Dracula."

Buffy looked at the man impressed despite herself. "Get out!"

* * *

Buffy looked at him and that makes 13. "So lemme get this straight. "You're..." She quickly does her best impression of a Dracula accent. "Dracula. The guy, the count."

Dracula showed his fangs without changing to game face. "I am."

Buffy looked at him. He could still be a fledgling with implants to explain the lack of yellow eyes. "And you're sure this isn't just some fanboy thing? Cause ... I've fought more than a couple of pimply overweight vamps that called themselves Lestat."

Dracula looked at her a little annoyed. "You know who I am. As I would know without question that you are Buffy Summers." Dracula walked towards her, looming over her.

Buffy looked at him uneasily. "You've heard of me?"

Dracula looked at her with a calm that was disturbing the slayer. "Naturally. You're known throughout the world."

Buffy smiled bashfully at the ego boost. "Naw. Really?"

Dracula looked at her undisturbed. "Why else would I come here? For the sun? I came to meet the renowned... killer."

Buffy lost the ego boost just as quick Dracula dropped that on her. But what they do Clark, Faith, Claire, her none of them are killers they just deal with what's in front of them. "Yeah, I prefer the term slayer. You know, killer just sounds so..."

"Naked?" Dracula offered.

Buffy shook her head, just a demon, she has to remember that. "Like I... paint clowns or something. I'm the good guy, remember?"

Dracula kept his stare seeing her defenses crumble. "Perhaps, but your power is rooted in darkness. You must feel it."

Buffy frowns and ponders this for a moment. "No. You know what I feel? Bored."

She lunges at him with her stake. He dissolves into smoke. As she straightens up looking confused, he reappears behind her. She turns lunges again. He dissolves into smoke again.

Buffy looked around confused. He's real! "Okay, that's cheating."

Xander and Willow walked up deciding to see Buffy on a patrol during friends' night sans Tara and Cordy.

Xander looked at her rattled. "Hey Buff, what's up?"

Willow smiled seeing her best friend. "You look like you just-"

Buffy pointed at them as a warning, this is bad. "Get out of here. Now!"

Xander looked at her confused. They just went to see friend and that's what they get. "Fine, but I was gonna give you a sip of my double-mint mocha, but…" Dracula reappeared behind him.

Buffy pointed in disbelief. All the times she saved their lives and they still won't listen. "Behind you."

Willow and Xander turn and see Dracula. Willow awkwardly waved and said. "Hi."

Xander looked at the Stoker reject. "Nice. Look who's got a bad case of dark prince envy." Behind him Buffy held her stake, looking concerned for her friends.

Dracula waved him off. "I have no interest in you. Leave us."

Xander just stood there in disbelief… who sired this nerd? "No, we're not going to" In Dracula's accent "'leave you.' And where'd you get that accent, Sesame Street?" He imitated the Count from Sesame Street's voice. "Vun, two, three - three victims. Mwa ha ha!"

Dracula looked at the construction worker annoyed.

Buffy whispered. "Xander, I'm pretty sure that's Dracula."

Xander's eyes widened in sudden terror. "Wow, really?" He hurried to stand behind Buffy, "Hey, sorry, man, I was... just jokin' around."

Dracula locked eyes with Buffy. "This is not the time. I will see you soon."

He spread his cape out and moves toward them, turning into a bat and flying over their heads as they all duck and yell. The bat flies away, squeaking. They straighten up and look around. The bat comes back and flies around Buffy's head. She covers her head with her hands. "Bat! Ooh, bat!"

The bat squeaks and flies away again.

* * *

Faith looked around the cemetery come on vampires make her job easier. She dusted four and she's not ready to go home yet. She watched as a bat landed near her and to her surprise turned into a vampire. Oh god a geeky warlock got turned into a vampire. "Let me guess magic classes."

Dracula looked at her intrigued. He's here for Buffy but this could be entertaining. "You are an odd one. Darkness of the slayer, yet I can smell light on you…" He let out a snarl. "I smell the sun."

Faith looked at him. Damn vampires and their creepy ass sniffing fetishes. "And you're a weirdo… great. So what do you want?"

Dracula looked at her. "From you I want what any warrior wants, a great fight."

"No objections here." Faith replied. The slayer needed a good fight.

Faith ran for Dracula only for him to disappear. Dracula reappeared behind her as Faith rushed him only for the Count to disappear. Dracula reappeared behind and Faith tried a backhand only for him to disappear again. "Cheating son of a…"

Dracula reappeared behind her and wasted no time putting her in a chokehold. "Just like your sister, are you disappointed in how this hunt went?"

Faith gasped for breath and quickly realized she's not over powering this one. Luckily she has a back up for this. She waved her arm as the wrist stake came out and stabbed the vampire in the leg causing Dracula to pull his disappearing trick. Faith coughed and gasped for breath.

Faith looked as the dust reformed and the wound wasn't even there. "OK, who the hell are you?"

"Dracula" The Man smiled.

Faith rolled her eyes. "Well, that makes five now."

Faith rushed forward with jump kick Dracula easily dodged and threw a couple punches which the slayer moved back from. Faith tried to use the wrist stake but Dracula quickly turned to myst and reformed behind her and hit her three times in the back followed by a right to the head.

Faith quickly rolled out of his way to recover fighting literal living dust gives Dracula one hell of an advantage. "Guess you can teach an old dog some new tricks huh."

Dracula ran at her only to fall onto arms and legs as the lord of the dead became a literal wolf and jumped at Faith's arm getting a bite at it. Faith shouted in pain as Dracula just tightened his grip. Faith used her one good arm and punched the Wolf twice in the head freeing herself from the beast's jaws.

The wolf looked at her as it turned back into Dracula.

Faith ran at him full of fury and caught him with a jump punch. Dracula quickly retaliated with one of his own as Faith's lips bled and she caught him with a roundhouse. The slayer and the vampire blocked and parried the next couple punches and kicks each threw. Dracula punched Faith in the face and she retaliated with one of her own.

Dracula looked at her pleasantly surprised in small way. He came here for Buffy Summers. He did not expect another slayer to put up this much of a fight. The ones the council usually send are blind stupid sheep. Already ripe for slaughter. This was much more of a fight then he anticipated but he won't be stopped. "This has become much more then a hunt."

Faith looked at him with an animalist smile blood running down her lip. She hasn't been in a fight like this since Kakistos. "Even if I lose I'll take pride that it took someone like Dracula to put me down."

Dracula let out a smile. "Interesting way to justify your death"

Faith just spit blood in his direction as Dracula watched it come in his direction until everything came to a freeze. The blood remained in mid air Faith and Dracula just looking at each other not moving.

* * *

Clark looked at Faith almost horrified. She had a black eye a trail of blood and bite marks on her arm bruises on her arms and blood flowing down her mouth. He walked toward the vampire and could see a trail of Faith's blood in his mouth. "Hmm" With a controlled portion but more then enough Clark punched and sent Dracula flying only for Clark to move at superspeed to get in front of him and hit him in the face again knocking him to the right. Clark ran after him and got behind the mid air count and kicked him in the back sending him forward like a rocket but not quick enough that Clark couldn't run ahead of him and slowed his speed to a crawl with the palm of his hand and quickly hit Dracula with another right so had he turned him around. Clark ran to where Dracula would land again and this time hit him with an uppercut knocking him back to where the beating started. Clark looked at Dracula eye to eye one last time before punching him in the ribs and getting behind him and kicking him in the back right for an autumn tree without any leaves.

* * *

Time resumed as Dracula crashed heart first into the tree and turned into a pile of dust once he hit a strong branch. Faith's eyes shot up seeing Clark whom was so concerned with the fight forgot all about the spat blood that hit him in the side of the face.

Clark wiped at the blood getting it off. "Ew!"

Clark ran for Faith in a blur and got her to their house and put her down in a kitchen seat.

Faith's eyes widened. "Clark, Claire is out there on her own you gotta get her and get her home."

"It's OK Faith I got him." Clark assured her.

Faith shook her head with new vigor that was beyond a doubt Dracula. "I don't doubt that. Just like I don't doubt that was actually Dracula I was fighting which means those three whores that follow him around in the movies can't be far behind. Clark you got to get Claire off the streets now."

Clark disappeared in a blur as Faith just looked at her bleeding arm. If Dracula had hit his mark and got her artery she'd be dead right now. Faith almost fell back into the seat... She didn't call for help... She didn't do anything but rely on herself for an opponent like that… If he had... Faith grabbed the medical tape kept here slayer healing should take care of it after a night of sleep.

Faith shot up at a loud crash and just heard the wind blow the door shut. She sits down trying to wrap her head around what just happened tonight.

* * *

Author's Notes

Thanks for the reviews follows and favorites.

I promise it will be a much shorter wait for the next chapter.


	3. The Long Awaited Return: Part 3

In the empty field the dust under the tree started moving with a purpose of it's own coming together in a small fog. The fog rematerialized as it reformed into the lord of darkness himself as Dracula. Dracula took a calming breath until he could look around. Once he was certain no one was around he fell to the floor holding his face and screaming in pain. What the hell was that?

* * *

Clark woke up the next day and not to his surprise alone… again. He walked down and was surprised to find Faith at the table. "You know I got Claire indoors right. Got the burnt up sleeve as proof."

Faith nodded. "How'd you know I was in trouble anyway?"

Clark went for the fridge. "I heard you scream when the guy bit you I'm guessing from the look of your arm."

"Well, nice to know if I ever need your attention all I have to do is get killed." Faith quipped dryly.

Clark looked at her. "That's not funny."

Faith shook her head. "Not trying to be, just trying to figure out where you are right now."

Clark looked around not sure what she's getting at. "I'm home did you hit your head last night?"

Faith gave him a look usually saved for vampires. "Yeah, go save a cat or something."

Clark watched her leave and moved in superspeed cutting her off at the backdoor. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Faith looked at him. "You're never here anymore. Hell with the exception of a group thing once in a while we never see you. You're always running around all day all night."

Clark looked at her. "Not like I have much waiting for me at night do I?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" The slayer asked.

Clark shook his head. "Forget I said anything."

Faith cut him off. "No, what are you talking about?"

"You're never there." Clark replied. "You're more obsessed with your nightlife."

"Let me remind you Twinkie I'm a slayer, I patrol." Faith replied.

Clark shook his head. "It's more then that. Faith I'm not going to sit here and act like it's not. You're always out sometimes all night. Just talk to me Faith."

Faith shook her head. "We're late!"

Clark nodded and just followed her out the door.

* * *

Faith looked at the magical place that has her paycheck. She walked into the magic box and sat down next to Claire. "So what we miss?"

Claire shook her head wanting to kill something. Anything but this OMG show. "Not a damn thing. The way Buffy's talking you'd think she fought a vampire Bill Murray last night."

Faith looked at the young redhead well that's progress. "Since when do you know Bill Murray?"

Claire acted like she was paying attention but replied to Faith. "Xander showed me Ghostbusters the first one was good. Second one well… it was the same movie with half the heart. Still was a good movie though."

Clark turned to Giles. "So who's Buffy talking about?"

Giles looked at the alien. Really could have used his help last night. "We believe, she was attacked by Count Dracula last night if you believe…"

"He's real." Faith cut him off. "I fought him last night. Had Clark take Claire home in case his brides were in town."

Giles looked at her. "Did you slay him?"

Faith held up her taped up arm. "What do you think? Luckily however, Clark did."

Clark turned to the group. "Hit him a bunch of times at superspeed and punched him into a tree. He dusted like everyone else."

Xander smiled. "All hail the conquering hero. When were you going to tell us?"

Clark shrugged. "I stopped a vampire it's a common occurrence in Sunnydale."

Faith looked around trying to see any reason they should be here besides B's gushing. "So is there a reason we're still here? I mean the big vampire of the night is dead so the end right?"

"Yeah, I think we're good." Giles replied.

Faith simply got out of her seat and left.

Cordy glared at the door. "Did she seriously just leave me with all the work today?" Clark moved in a blur and a day of sorting was taken care of in all of ten seconds. "Thank you."

Clark nodded and went out the door at a human's pace.

Cordy turned to Giles. "What's eating them?"

Giles gave an honest shrug. He figured this would blow up at some point he just hoped it would happen over the summer and not in the middle of something like right now!

* * *

That night Clark was out on patrol in the end of Los Angeles maybe he should check in with Angel. Not like Faith will be waiting for him at home. Clark heard a ping on his phone and opened it to see a text from Chloe. "Need to see you urgent."

Clark ran in a blur to Chloe's instant dismay as her research was scattered to the winds. He looked and saw books and her laptop with a full history of Dracula. "Whoa, tech watcher"

Chloe worked quickly gathering a couple strays. "Doors Clark there's a rule about doors!"

"You said it was urgent." Clark countered.

Chloe sighed. "Yeah, I did. So main thing. I don't think Dracula is dead."

"What!"

* * *

Xander was walking down the block bag in hand. Cordy wanted Aspirin so he got Aspirin against her wishes. Xander turned the corner and walked right into the dark stare of Dracula. Damn you Murphy.

* * *

Clark looked at her. "I impaled him on a tree. I saw him dust. How could he be alive?"

"He has the power of transmogrification he can hold the dust together and reform into a person. I think it's how he turns into a wolf and bats too." Chloe explained.

Xander looked at Dracula practically jumping out of his skin but finds his voice as a five year hellmouth veteran after all. "Great. Perfect… Know what? You're not so big. One round of old fashioned fisticuffs, and I bet you'd fold like a bitty baby…" He puts his fists up ready to 'headbutt' the Count's hands and feet. "Okay. Lets do it. No poofing." Xander he starts moving around ready for a fight. "Come on, Puffy Shirt. Pucker on up, 'cause you can kiss your pale ass good…"

* * *

Clark rolled his eyes he has to find him again and figure something out that will stop him or kill him. He might be trying out Jor El's newest gadget. "What else can Dracula do?"

"Supposedly he has hypnosis." Chloe replied.

* * *

Dracula looked at Xander with a deadly stare demanding his respect. "Silence."

Xander weakly replied. "Yes, Master." Xander looked appalled. That's the last thing he meant to say. Hell Cordy called him a 'fangist' over the summer. "No! That's not-"

Dracula held a hand out and Xander fell silent like a loyal little lapdog as the Count ordered.. "You will be my emissary. My eyes and ears in daylight… The slayer. I want to know everything."

From that point on, Xander grew more captivated as he helplessly Fell deeper and deeper into Dracula's thrall going fully butler like the guy from the movie. "Your emissary…"

Dracula just nodded and kept him a level stare. "Serve me well and you'll be rewarded. I'll make you an immortal. A child of darkness, feeding on life itself, on blood…"

Xander smiled growing excited. "Blood. Yes, yes… I will serve you, your excellent spookiness." He looked at Dracula's death glare. "Or Master. I'll just stick with Master."

Dracula stared at him maybe he should just turn the redhead that was with them the other night. "Go now."

Xander looked at him. "But master… um,not to question your greatness… that is great… but… um."

Dracula looked at him. "Speak your piece servant."

Xander nodded. "What slayer am I following there's three now… actually four but I don't know where the other one is."

Dracula nodded. "Two of them are abominations, and I do not wish to provoke another fight with the sun god. Keep me informed of Ms. Summers. Now go."

Xander eagerly starts off into the darkness. Then he turns back. "But, Master, how can I find?" He stopped. Dracula is gone. Xander takes this in appreciatively. "Brilliant. What an exit. Guy's a genius." Xander started to Giggle maniacally. He's on the train to crazy town.

* * *

Chloe looked at the screen. "Clark, if Dracula can do all this stuff can you even kill him?"

Clark looked at it and saw the pictures of Dracula turning into smoke. "I don't know. Maybe fire, If this stuff is true even then I'm not sure. If I could fly I'd just take him into the sun."

Chloe shook her head in a disbelieving smirk. "How is it that the one power I've seen you use before you showed your alien side is the one you don't know!?"

"Because my so loving father my way or brainwashing." Clark replied. "It would be nice to know if he actually can do all this or whether or not I actually killed him."

Chloe nodded. "I'll talk to Spike tomorrow see if he knows anything."

Clark looked at her. "Since when are you and Spike so close?"

Chloe looked at him. "Over the summer… I just he's immortal. And there's a good chance with how I heal it will stop me from aging so…"

Clark frowned. "Why didn't you come to me?"

Chloe looked at him oh joy this should be fun. "You… you haven't exactly been easy to get to. Look why don't you stop by tomorrow at sundown and we'll go see Spike OK."

"Sure" Clark replied as he rolled his eyes hearing the familiar sound. "I gotta go."

"Stop!" Chloe covered up all the books. "Go!"

Clark disappeared in a blur.

* * *

Buffy's sleeping soundly when the wind picked up outside her room… A mist formed at the window, then seeped through the crack and moved on its own across the floor to Buffy's bed.

Buffy sensed the intrusion. She immediately sat up ready for a fight when she sees Dracula at her bed, looking down at her. She's about to strike out when he holds a finger to his mouth. She remained silent despite wanting to quip. She can only submit to his lingering gaze… He looks at her for a long beat, then, finally. "You're magnificent."

Buffy fought to speak, determined to not get eye whammied again. "Bet you say that before you bite all the girls."

Dracula shook his head. "No. You're different. Kindred."

Buffy kept her focus. "Kindred? Hardly, I…"

"Pull your hair back." Dracula ordered cutting her off.

To her consternation, Buffy obeyed his command, and bared her neck to him… Still, she protested weakly. "Ha. You really think you can just waft in here with your hypno eyes and you music video wind and… and…"

She faltered as he moved to the bed and sits near her. Dracula looked at her intrigued by her… "I've searched the world over for you. Yearned for you…"

She shuddered as he ran his fingers along the curve of her throat. Then he stops, intrigued by the scar that Angel left when he bit her.

Buffy still felt the scar. "He was…"

"Unworthy." Dracula finished. "He let you go."

He moved closer. Buffy struggled, but he's too strong for her as he continued. "But the embrace. His bite… you remember…"

Buffy shook her head. "No…"

Dracula gently caressed her neck. "Don't fight… I can feel your hunger."

In this moment, Buffy is locked in his orbit. She can't deny it. And he bent to her, sinking his fangs deep into her neck. Buffy gives into it, gasping…

* * *

The next day Clark walked into the magic shop followed by Chloe. Faith slept in her own room after coming home at 5 in the morning. So they've broken down to the avoidance game.

Clark easily caught the scoobies in alert mode. "What's going on?"

"Dracula is still alive." Faith replied.

Clark sighed as he sat down. "Do we have anything?"

Willow nodded. "Yeah, all kinds of Dracula factoids."

Xander shook his head jelly donut in hand. "Yeah, Like any of that's enough to fight the Dark Master…" He saw the entire room looking at him in confusion. "bator."

Cordy looked at him. "You feeling alright that was weak even for you Doofus?"

Xander held up his doughnut. "I'm not sugar rushed yet."

Willow continued. "A lot of it we already knew… Turn offs: wood, fire, crosses, garlic. Turn ons: nice duds, minions, palaces, and long slow bites that last for days…"

Clark sighed. "I think we can cross wood off that list."

Faith looked to Clark. "You think you can freeze him and just chuck him to the north pole?"

Clark shook his head. "No guarantee he won't be able to mist out of the ice."

Faith went to snap her fingers as a joke but remembered she's mad at him so didn't.

Claire looked up. "Well what if me and Clark just turn the whole ground he's standing on into a plate of glass?"

Giles shook his head. "He could fly away."

Cordy shook her head. "At this point I'm wondering if it's time to brush off the rocket launcher."

Giles cleared his throat getting everyone's attention back. "I think it wise we start with the more luxurious places at least find him first. Sunlight might be our best chance. Don't you think Buffy?"

Buffy remained oblivious now concerned that every plan the scoobies offered were shut down.

Clark looked at her clearly for the first time and realized. Who in California wears a scarf on a sunny day like this. He quickly got his answer when he X-rayed her. "He bit you."

Buffy held her neck. "What gave you the right to do that?"

Clark looked at her. "It's the first time I saw a scarf in two years. If I was paying closer attention it would have been a dead giveaway."

Buffy glared at the alien. "What gave you the right to violate my privacy like that?"

"It's not like I haven't seen more Buffy." Clark countered.

Buffy looked at him. "You had no right no right to…."

Clark quickly slapped the table in frustration not a good mix as the table snaps in two as the whole gang got up to avoid the crash.

Cordy looked at it upset. "Damn it Clark, you owe us a table."

Clark never took his eyes off Buffy except to look at Faith for a moment before turning back to Buffy. "What is going on with the two of you? Faith's out all night patrolling are you doing it too? You don't ask for help and your ego is going to get you in trouble. So please just tell me what is going on with the two of you?"

Buffy kept her stare. "We don't need help it's what we do. If Mars Attacks I'll call you."

Giles looked at her concerned. He's been so busy acclimating and giving Claire a home he took his eyes off Buffy and Faith. "Buffy?"

Buffy turned to Giles and seeing his look of concern her anger stems almost immediately showing the first signs of breaking Dracula's hold on her. "Oh god!" She removed the scarf showing the two holes.

Giles looked at her. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Xander tries to play it down, offering- "'Cause she didn't want to worry us, right Buffster? It's nothing. Just a scratch…

Willow shook her head she's not buying it. "Two deep, puncture-y scratches."

Buffy looked at the group. "I'm not sure why I tried to hide it. I guess I was embarrassed that I let him do this to me… And, I don't know, I couldn't fight this voice telling me to cover it."

Clark looked at him concerned. "How did he even get in?" The scoobies turned. "I mean even with all he can do the marks Buffy's neck shows he's still a vampire."

Buffy's eyes widened as the realization kicked in. "Oh god, mom!"

Willow put her hands up. "Don't worry about your mom Buffy. Me and Tara can handle the de-invitation spell."

Faith got out of her seat. "In the meanwhile I think it best to take Buffy somewhere Dracula doesn't know."

"My place." Xander offered. "Me and Cordy can protect Buffy from the dark prince…" He see the return of the confused looks. "-bator."

Faith looked at him stumped. "Take Claire maybe we can surprise him with a human flamethrower."

Xander looked at her. "Well she's kinda young and hot headed."

Claire glared at him. "Hey when you were my age Cordy said you nearly lost your big head and little head to a praying mantis. I can handle myself thank you."

Giles turned to the former cheerleader. Cordy can only reply with. "In my defense… Faith started that and I might have inadvertently made it worse."

Faith looked at everyone. "I'll patrol since Dracula just seems to want me for a punching bag."

Clark looked at her. "Me and Chloe are going to stop by Spike's I doubt a vampire as powerful as Dracula can make an entrance and not be known by other vampires."

The scoobies broke off each with a purpose.

* * *

Clark and Faith walked into their house and started up the steps. Clark looked at her. "Good luck tonight, just shout if you need anything."

"Yeah, you too." Faith replied before they went in other directions.

Martha and Jonathan watched the scene play out for a moment. Before long they were upstairs as well. Martha heading for Faith's room Jonathan heading for Clark's so they can have one long overdue chat.

* * *

Faith got dressed for tonight back in the trenches again. She hears a knock on the door. "It's open but I'm getting changed if it's Jonathan."

Martha opened the door. "It's just me?"

"Oh, what's up?" Faith asked.

"Are you OK?" Martha asked.

"I'm fine." Faith assured her.

Martha kept her eyes on her full of concern only a parent can manage. "Really?"

"Yes." Faith answered and even she knew that was a load of crap. "No…" She answered more hesitantly. "Maybe… I don't know." She finally decided taking a seat on the bed.

Martha sat down next to her. "You know I'm here if you need to talk right."

Faith looked at her. "I know it's just last year I found out that Clark's douchbag dad was using me as a timeshare. I just… I just wanted something that was mine seeing Clark reach out for more. I fell into patrolling."

"So that's where you are so late at night?" Martha asked.

Faith looked at her. "Wait you knew?"

Martha looked at her. "Faith I consider you one of my own of course I knew. You're just not seventeen anymore."

Faith nodded. "Is that your way of saying I'm grown up now?"

Martha thought it over herself she honestly wished she had met Faith sooner but yeah. "Faith you and Clark you're not teenagers new in love there's always going to be challenges."

Faith nodded on her bed. "I know, it's just I know Clark's destiny is going to be greater then probably the whole gang's put together. I just worry about him and when I'm out it lets me focus on something else."

Martha looked at her. "Clark can take a beating."

Faith shook her head. "Not it's not that… it's just crappy Faith logic."

Martha shook her head. "You have a good head on your shoulders Faith despite what you tell yourself."

Faith nodded. "I'm worried about Clark Kent. Lately it just seems like he's turned into Jor El's personal kryptonian warrior. He's never around and I know what he does is important… I know but he can't be that thing 24/7 even I need a break from slaying every now and again."

Martha looked at her. "You're concerned he's being swallowed whole by his new activites."

Faith nodded. "No job, no school, it's not exactly like there's much Clark Kent does now."

Martha nodded in understanding. "I think you two need to talk to each other."

Faith shook her head. "Tried that already didn't end well. It's just last night…"

"What happened last night?" Martha asked.

Faith got out of her seat. "It's nothing. I have to go out and patrol I might want to talk later tonight. I have to try to find and kill the latest version of Dracula."

Martha nodded. "Be sure to call Clark for help if you need it even if you're upset with him."

"Will do." Faith assure her on the way out.

* * *

As that conversation was happening,

Clark heard a knock on the door. "It's open." He sees Jonathan. "Hey dad, what's up?"

Jonathan looked at him. "Well I was concerned. We don't see you at home all that much lately."

Clark nodded. "Yeah I've been keeping busy."

Joanthan looked at his son. "Is something troubling you?"

Clark looked at him for a moment before weakly replying. "Yeah, it's about Faith."

Jonathan nodded in understanding. "You mean her late nights."

Clark looked at him for a brief moment before deciding no, he's not surprised he knows. "She's always out patrolling anymore. And I know that her work is important I just the look in her eyes makes me feel that it's more then patrolling."

"What do you mean?" Jonathan asked.

"I don't know." Clark replied. "And something happened to her last night. She won't tell me and it's driving me crazy that she's keeping a secret. And yes I know how hypocritical that sounds."

Jonathan looked at Clark for a moment welcome to his life. Guess the kids really are growing up. "Well to be fair to her. You're not the only that's been constantly waking up to an empty bed this summer."

"You mean how I've been spending my nights." Clark asked.

Jonathan nodded. "Clark on the farm I always knew a day would come when me and your mother would have to let you go for the rest of the world. But at the same time I always wanted you to keep your grades up. Do you know why?"

Clark looked at him. "F's get you kicked out A's get unwanted attention?"

Jonathan shook his head. "No I wanted you to keep your grades up. I have no doubt with your powers as Kal El that you are going to change everything son, but that doesn't mean I want Clark Kent to have a full life as well."

Clark looked at his father pondering his words as his phone went off. He looked at the message and said. "I have to meet up with Chloe."

Jonathan watched him about to leave but asked. "Clark there's another question I need to know."

Clark nodded. "I know just ask me after we deal with Dracula OK."

Jonathan turned to him intrigued. "Dracula like Nosferatu? I though Faith staked him last year."

Clark rolled his eyes. "So many vampires have used that name even Claire has killed one. We think this one is the real deal though so can I answer that question later?"

"Sure." Jonathan replied.

* * *

Clark exited his room and came downstairs only to run into Faith.

Faith looked at him and knew they needed to talk but nor right now. B is a potential groupie and while she's savoring the irony in that she also has a job to do. She'll scream this time she's not dying to Dracula she's the slayer it's what she does.

Clark looked at Faith every ounce of him wants to clear the air right now but with Buffy under the thrall he knows they both have work to do. "Call me if you need help."

"Uh huh."

They both head out on separate paths but with the same goal. Find the lord of the vampires and end him once and for all.

* * *

Author Notes

Thanks for the reviews follows and favorites

This was supposed to go up along time ago but my tech was decimated because verizon messed with the outside wiring which meant cutting off my phone, internet, and TV. Then thanksgiving then Black Friday, then getting ready for Christmas, and seeing it was December making a United we Stand Christmas fic, Christmas shopping.

Up Next: Hopefully the end of the long awaited return.


	4. The Long Awaited Return: Part 4

Clark walked with Chloe why is he not surprised. "You know I feel like I should have known Spike would live in a crypt."

Chloe looked at him in a dry roll of her eyes. "What gave it away? Was it the lack of heartbeat?"

Clark looked at it. "So how did you two become a thing?"

Chloe eyes rose up. Wait does he think... "OK I am handcuffing you to Sunnydale. Because no chance in hell am I dating him!"

Clark looked at her a bit ashamed. "I'm sorry it's just... the way you were speaking made it sound like…"

Chloe just put up a hand to stop him. One insane thing at a time that's all she can take. She knocked on the crypt and waited.

Spike opened the door and saw the two. "Blondie…" He turned to Clark. "Thought you were dead."

Clark looked at him and just walked in with Chloe. That wasn't funny.

Spike looked at the blond. "So what are you curious about tonight Goldilocks?"

Chloe walked in. "Dracula of all things."

Spike rolled his eyes. "Don't tell me that euro trash is in town."

Clark looked at him confused. Isn't Spike from Europe?

Chloe made a babyish face. "Ah... is the poor little vampire afraid of his great great grand daddy."

Spike glared at her. "Ah... is the poor little reporter so afraid of meeting the big bad on her own she had to bring protection."

Clark looked between the two. They seem like Xander and Cordy up until Cordy needed a 'break' from the magic box. He can't be the only one seeing this.

Spike turned to Chloe lighting up a cigarette. "I have a problem with the bloke making himself famous at the expense of every other vampire. In the past life was good… now you got every angsty teenager declaring themselves Van Helsing since they now know how to kill us… also the limey bastard owes me eleven pounds."

Clark looked at Spike confused. "I fought Dracula he survived being dusted. And according to Faith he can change into a wolf."

"Gypsy magic like hypnosis." Spike explained. "He knows some cool spells that but other then that he's no different then the rest of us. Pretty sure the ponce can't handle the fact that he got stuck in game face from old age so he cast a glamour to keep a human face with fangs. Transmogrification so he can piece himself together from air if he dusts. Dirty little tricks like that."

Chloe looked down deflated. She was so hyped for Dracula and it's just a vampire poorly handling an undead midlife crisis. "Well, that's disappointing."

Clark turned to Spike if he knows so much about him. "Do you know where he is?"

Spike shook his head. "No, but the man likes to live fancy so it wouldn't be too hard to find him."

Clark nodded well then it shouldn't be too hard. "Do you know how to kill him?"

Spike mulled it over for a second the generator for his fridge and television isn't cheap. "Do I get paid for this?"

Clark rolled his eyes. He wants to get paid? For the love of… "Only if it actually works."

Spike thought it through. "I think I might know a guy."

* * *

Faith walked into a familiar establishment and saw demons all around her twelve her six everywhere. She let out a devilish smirk as all the demons quietly looked away and back to each other. Yeah, she's going to enjoy that for years to come. Sadly not much she can do here at the demonic bar since there's no sign of Dracula. She walked up to the bar and smiled taking a seat.

The bartender looked at her and his face dropped. "Where's the other slayer?"

"She's busy." Faith replied. "Dracula what do you know?"

Willy looked away uncomfortable there's rules with Buffy god knows what she'd do. He turned to the entrance way and shouted. "Hey! You're not welcome here!"

Faith turned around and saw Clark, Chloe, and Spike.

Spike looked at him. Soul or not Willy knows all the horrible things he can do to him. "So a guy gets a soul and all of the sudden he can't get some orangutan?"

Willy shakes his head. "Not you, tall guy blue shirt, you're not welcome here anymore and you know that."

Clark nodded. "I'll wait outside."

Faith looked at it trying to figure this out. How? She walked up to Spike and said out loud. "See what he knows bite him if you have to."

Spike let out a smile and the color immediately drained from Willy's face.

* * *

Xander looked around the room frustrated. How long has he been here? His master wants the slayer. He interrupted Cordy's babble. "What time is it?

Cordy turned to the clock. "Almost six." And went right back to talking. "It can't take them so long right. I mean king of the vampires is still a vampire. They all die from a crossbow bolt and all Clark has to do is look at him."

She's cut off as Xander shoved her into the closet and locked it. Cordy started pounding on the door but Xander is unconcerned. Xander to Buffy unconcerned to Cordy's screaming. "To the Master now. There's this whole deal where I get to be immortal… Are you cool with that? I'm supposed to deliver you."

Buffy doesn't hesitate. She's cool ready for what's next. "Take me to him."

They head out the front door ignoring the irritated woman she knew something was wrong.

* * *

Faith walked out and looked at Clark. "OK, so, you want to explain how you… you of all people get a ban from Willy's place."

Clark just kept his focus on the wall.

Faith looked at him keep his focus away from her. She went to walk inside and…

"My mom got hurt… I was… I was too stubborn to admit how much pain that caused. And instead of dealing with it and keeping my emotions in check I went after anything that could give me something of a lead and thanks to being in Sunnydale…"

"You went after anything demonic." Faith filled in. If she wasn't so worried about him killing Lex and exposing his secret to the world she would have done the same thing.

Clark leaned back against the wall. "All they see is the guy that roughed them up for something they had no part in. I'm not brooding it's just easier to wait outside."

Faith nodded. She didn't realize how bad Brainiac got in his head back then. But on that note. "Get over it!"

Clark turned to her. "What?"

"Get over it." Faith repeated repeated trying for a straight face. "Clark, you screwed up big deal. Now I know you have the biggest patent for beating yourself up but we screw up it's kind of what we do. Clark you might be the most powerful man on the planet but guess what… you're still just a guy capable of screwing up just like the rest of us."

Clark looked at her but broke with a smile. "I know I screwed up. I am over it... you're just enjoying this."

Faith nodded. "Yup. Clark it is sometimes hard to live up to your impossible standards… so I am glad to see you mess up from time to time… just enough mess up."

Clark was set to speak again but Chloe and Spike came out.

Chloe looked at the two. "Dracula lives it big… so he shouldn't be hard to find… still don't know how to kill him though."

Clark nodded. "We'll figure something out."

Clark looked down at his phone ringing. "Claire what's up… whoa whoa slow down… we'll be right there… Spike do you get motion sickness."

"No wh.. oy!"

Faith smiled seeing Spike disappear but the smile quickly vanished as she appeared right outside Xander's house with Spike followed by Chloe.

Clark went in. "Claire are you alright? Are you in here?"

Claire ran down stairs. "Yeah I'm fine… problem is I don't know where anyone else is."

Clark looked around with X-ray. "Cordy, Xander, Buffy none of them are here."

Claire nodded. "I took my eyes off them for all of five minutes to check around for stray wolves and… everyone was gone. I checked he's still with Joyce and your parents."

Clark nodded. "OK, I'll find Buffy, Xander, and Cordy."

Faith watched as Clark disappeared again. "Oh for god sakes."

Chloe looked at her. "Going after him?"

"Why do you even ask?" Faith asked. "I'm gonna call Giles too. I'm not going in alone after last time."

Claire followed her. "No leave Giles where he is I'll go with you."

Faith looked at her. "You're not ready."

Claire shook her head. "Yes I am. You're just afraid of whatever happening to her is going to happen to me. Faith you can't beat this guy alone you've already tried. Now you can either let me help or you can fight him again. This time with third degree burns."

Faith nodded and just followed the redhead out.

* * *

Spike stood at the doorway with no way in and turned to Chloe. "Blood is a lot cheaper in LA you think your friend can give me a lift."

Chloe just rolled her eyes and turned to leave.

Spike looked at her and just follows her. Her friend took him a good distance anyway.

* * *

Clark came to a stop looking in kind of awe. He will admit he's not a nearly twenty year hellmouth veteran like Xander is. He's only been here for two years still… he feels like he should have known. How the hell would anyone miss the Victorian Castle standing right in front of him… maybe everyone was right on him never being around.

Clark walked into the castle and quietly looked around. He turned behind him and saw Cordelia as his eyes glowed red and orange.

Cordy put her hands up panicked and waving. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, what the heck are you doing?"

Clark's eyes went to normal. "It's not a good idea to sneak up on someone in a castle Cordy."

Cordy glared at him. "Hey Xander locked me in a closet and I followed the idiot here… any idea where slay girl is?"

Clark shook his head and turned away. "I haven't seen either of them stay close."

Cordy smiled pulling out a wire with two little green rocks one on each end. "Close as can be." Cordy quickly wrapped the wire like a garrote as Clark immediately felt the effects of the kryptonite as Cordy tugged as hard as she could.

Clark struggled against it for a moment trying to grab at Cordy's hair to flip her off. What the hell has Faith been teaching her? He can't cut loose because it's still Cordy. Clark reached into his pocket and pulled out a small lead case and squeezed it even with green kryptonite he still crushed it open and grabbed the necklace inside it.

Clark shot to his feet grabbing Cordy's arms and easily pulled her off the rope as he caught his breath and threw the rope away. Cordy threw a punch that Clark easily caught. Clark dodged another couple punches until Cordy swung and he dodged as Cordy stumbled in front of him.

Clark acted quick and grabbed her from behind and hit her at two exact points as Cordy collapsed into his arms. Clark caught the girl… pressure points work, good to know. Clark threw the necklace aside and moved in a blur and reappeared right in front of his parents, Joyce and Giles. "Mom, dad, don't wake her up." Once again moving in a blur as he disappeared

Jonathan just looked down and saw Cordy on the couch. "Yeah… best to wait till later."

* * *

Clark looked around the mansions still no sign of. Clark looked down and saw his blue k necklace on his arm. Crap!

Dracula wasted no time and threw Clark at the wall hard enough to put a dent in it. "Your friend was very helpful once I freed her from the closet. Did you think you can beat me with a couple tricks? That I could fall so easily!"

Clark got to his feet dodged Dracula's next punch and threw a couple of his own one connecting with Dracula's chin. "Why not you're just another vampire?"

Dracula quickly caught Clark's next punch. "My boy... I was never an ordinary vampire" Clark broke free and tried to kick but went right through a trail of air as Dracula punched him in the back three times and kicked out one of his legs. "Or did you forget what I used to be?" Clark tried a backhand as he got to his feet only to strike air again. "I've killed more men than God's plagues combined. And that was before I started eating people for fun." Clark went to peel off the blue K but Dracula grabbed his arm. "The fields of Europe used to steam with the blood of my enemies." Dracula put enough pressure till a loud snap was heard as Clark shouted in pain. "Trust me... the vampire was the least of your concerns." He grabbed Clark by the scruff of his jacket shoving his head through a wall and pulling Clark out the kryptonian bleeding from his forehead. Dracula slammed him into the wall two more times and Clark was done out on his feet. Dracula's enhance strength the only reason he was standing. "It was the old man you needed to worry about." Dracula looked and saw Buffy coming up with Xander. "For a god you are not that fearsome." Dracula looked at Clark debating his fate for a moment why drink this thing's blood with what's awaiting him. And there are others. He opened the door and flung Clark in as he fell into the shadows.

* * *

Dracula's impressive chambers. It's a large room lit by wall torches and a big old fireplace.

Xander made a big oafish show of presenting Buffy. "Master, I deliver the slayer. The one you most desire! Sorry, 'whom.'"

Buffy, wide-eyed and quiet, stepped forward. Dracula takes her in.

Xander looked between the two. "So now comes the immortality, right? You do the thing and"

"Leave us. We must not be interrupted." Dracula ordered never taking his eyes off Buffy.

Xander obeyed, but he's clearly disappointed. He started as he left. "You bet. But I'll be outside, whenever. Any old time you feel like bestowing eternal life…or, you know, just a little nibble of something fleshy…

Dracula shot Xander a look that immediately caused him to duck out. Dracula moved closer to Buffy, pleased at how things have played out. "I knew you'd come."

Buffy looked at him. "Why? Cause I'm under your thrall?" To his surprise, her eyes flashed and she whipped out a stake. She looks like the old Buffy full swagger and self confidence that she's going to stake another Dracula. "Well, guess again, pal."

"Put the stake down."

Buffy instantly obeyed. "Okay." Buffy realized what just happened. She might have freaked a little… "Right. That was, that was not you. I did that because I wanted to, and... and… Maybe I should rethink that thrall thing.

She laughed nervously, looking around desperately for some kind of help.

* * *

Claire walked up the castle. "OK, I know I lived most of my life in a cage… but I think would have noticed this big ass castle. Do most vampires live in places like this?"

Faith shook her head. "Dracula's a whiny spoiled prima donna who knew." She walked up to the doors and they slammed shut. "Great"

"Move"

Faith turned her eyes widened seeing fire surround Claire's hands as the teen let out a flamethrower like attack that burned a human sized hole in the double doors. "Better then a skeleton key."

* * *

Buffy backed up slowly as Dracula advanced, just as slow. "Stay away from me…" The slayer warned.

Dracula smiled. "Are you afraid I'll bite you? Slayer, that's why you came."

Buffy shook her head. "No… last night was… That's not gonna happen again."

"Stop me. Stake me." Dracula provoked her in an almost teasing manner.

Buffy looked at him weakly. "I'm… any minute now…"

"Do you know why you can't resist?"

Buffy stood there almost numb. "Cause you're famous?"

"Because you do not want to." Dracula replied causing Buffy to look away almost in shame.

Buffy kept trying to look away but couldn't find the strength to. "My friends are –"

"They're here. They will not find us. We are alone. Always… alone." Dracula reached for Buffy's face and put his hand along her neck under her hair. He is genuinely enraptured by her. "There is so much I have to teach you. About your history, your power… What your body is capable of…"

Buffy tried to take a breath to just deny it. Anything at this point. "I don't… need to know…"

Dracula leaned in. "You long to. And you will have eternity to discover yourself. But first… a little taste."

"I won't… let you…" Buffy warned.

Dracula pulled back looking into her eyes, his own calm with mischief. "I didn't mean for me."

* * *

Claire looked around at this place. she doesn't know how to describe it. Lionel Luthor may he rot in the bottom level would be seething in jealousy of this colossal castle. "Dear god we're going to be searching this place until the year 3000."

Faith nodded looking around. "Just keep your eyes…" She looked and saw a trail of blood on the wall. "I'm going down the hole keep looking around here."

Claire nodded as Faith jumped down.

* * *

The redhead herself took a walk seeing Xander approach her. "What are you doing here Xander?"

Xander kept walking looking for a fight. "I won't let you interrupt my master."

Claire looked at him he can't be serious. Drac must have him hypnotized. "I was the world's most dangerous pyromaniac from birth. And that was before I made it a calling to kill demons at night. Do you really wanna do this?"

"You want him you come through me." Xander warned.

"OK" Claire wasted no time and headbutt him as Xander fell to the floor unconscious.

* * *

Faith hopped down and saw Clark on the floor and saw three women two nuzzling on each side of his neck and the other one edging for his arm as all three started to bite. How the hell did this one happen? She ran over stake in hand and killed one of three beautiful women. She knew they would be here… wait three women three slayers… Dracula's a pig!

Another bride ran after her and Faith just as quickly put a stake through her heart. And then there was one.

Clark opened his eyes groggy what happened? He looked down at his arm and got his answer… oh right that.

Clark looked and saw Faith beating the last bride to a pulp. "Faith! Faith!"

Faith kept swinging on the bride never letting up.

"Faith!" Clark went to grab her and Faith quickly spun out and hit him with a back elbow knocking him back down.

Faith looked at Clark and saw what she did seeing a fresh trail of blood going down his lip. She watched as the bride just seemed to fade away and she looked down at his arm. "Sorry, I didn't mean to… oh my god did I do that?"

Clark shook his head looking at his arm. "Don't worry about it. Let's just find Buffy."

* * *

Dracula sliced a fingernail across his wrist, drawing a thin trail of blood.

Buffy looked at him disturbed. "What are you…"

Dracula smiled. "All these years, fighting us, your power so near to our own and you've never once wanted to know what it is we fight for? Never even a taste?"

Buffy shook her head knowing where this is going. "No… if I taste that."

"I have not drunk enough for you to change. You must be near death to become one of us." Dracula replied calming her down. "And that will come only when you plead for it."

Buffy tried to look away but her eyes remained glued to the blood. What is wrong with her? "I'm not hungry."

"No." Dracula agreed. "Your craving goes deeper than that." Buffy looked into his eyes. "You think you know. What you are, what's to come… you haven't even begun." She takes his wrist in her hands. Slowly puts her lips to it and drank. Dracula's eyelids half-closed in ecstasy. Buffy drinks slowly as her eyes shut. "Find it… the darkness…. Find your true nature."

Buffy pulls away, looking at Dracula, a little dazed. She saw the first slayer destruction so much blood as she took a moment. "Wow." She slammed her palm into his chest, and sent him flying halfway across the table to land on his back. "That was really gross."

Dracula comes off the table in pain and controlled fury. "You are resisting…"

Buffy looked at him the slayer back in her eyes. "Looks like…"

"Come here. Come to me." Dracula ordered.

Buffy kept her calm looking at him. "You know, I think the thrall has really gone out of our relationship. But I wanna thank you for opening my eyes a little.

Dracula looked at her she continues to fascinate him. "What is this…?"

"My true nature. Wanna taste?"

Dracula stared at the slayer. "You cannot run from your darkness."

Buffy approached slowly. "Who says I'm running? Come on Drac. We did your little dance. Let's see if you're any good at mine."

Dracula charged roaring and Buffy leaped over him, landing behind him as he smashes into the wall.

* * *

Claire ran in one door as Clark and Faith ran into the other.

Clark took a step forward but Faith put a hand on his chest stopping him.

Faith shook her head. "It's a slayer thing she has to do it."

Dracula flew at her again, this time taking her down. Buffy's fighting style is rough but a lot more ferocious like Faith's then Clark remembers she doesn't give an inch as they slam each other into the floor again and again.

Dracula gets the upper hand and throws Buffy off him. She flies hard into the opposite wall. Recovering quickly, she grabs a lit torch and points it towards Dracula.

Buffy smiled torch in hand. "A guy like you should think about going electric. Seriously."

She swung it at him and he changed into mist. She follows the curl of mist up with her eyes. "No you don't."

Buffy throws the torch down and runs, scooping up her stake, leaps on the tables and then to the landing off the table, coming down right as Drac reforms. She slams the stake home looking at him quietly and intense full slayer. "How do you like my darkness now?"

Dracula stumbled down falling over the steps below as he dusted.

* * *

Faith smiled seeing that and no reforming. "B… you five by five?"

Buffy smiled. "I'm good chock full of free wi… oh my god what happened to Clark's arm… I didn't know it could do that."

Clark looked down. "Think I broke it. I'll go to Jor El he can probably fix it."

The conversation died as Xander burst into the room torch in hand looking for a fight. "Where is he? Where's the creep who turned me into his spider-eating man bitch!? I've got a flaming enema with his name on it-"

"He's gone." Buffy answered.

Xander shook his head. "Damn it!.. You know what? I'm sick of this crap. I'm sick of being the guy who eats the insects and gets the funny syphilis! As of this moment, it's over! I'm finished being everybody's butt monkey!

Buffy playfully nodded. "Check. No more butt monkey."

Faith playfully hit Clark. "Chill out Xan, you could have been in the middle of getting nuzzled to death like Clark here when the brides bit."

Clark looked at her. "I was making a strategic retreat."

"Before or after they drained you dry." Faith teased.

Clark looked at the floor, stupid mystical vampires and their thralls.

Xander looked at Clark. "I need lessons help a friend out?"

Clark shook his head. Even he knows his second fight with Dracula was pathetic. "I got lazy over the summer I need to get back in shape first."

Claire looked around. "Can we just get out of here? Place still gives me the creeps."

Buffy nodded in agreement as she led everyone out going up the steps first.

* * *

As the scoobies leave the mist reforms as Dracula pulls himself back together. Dracula looked around completely reformed as another stake enters his back this one courtesy of Faith.

Faith rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, you always come back, fucking diva."

Dracula falls to the floor and dusts again as Faith turns to go.

The mist reforms again while this time a red finger nailed hand enters the mist as it reforms.

Dracula looks down in shock at the one slayer he never had any intention of fighting. She didn't even need a spell to contain him.

Claire looked at him with a smile. "Hi."

Dracula looked at her. "Release…"

Claire grabbed onto what she thinks is a spine and put a little heat on as Dracula shouted in pain. "Can't help but notice you were more afraid of torches then stakes let's see how hot you can get for a slayer."

Clark watched in disbelief as Claire shouted in a primal scream as fire surrounded her head like a halo.

Claire shouted some more activating a form she only did once with Giles that might or might not have burnt a forest down and nearly killed the Englishman. The fire went from a halo on her head to a spiral circling her entire body as it traveled down her arm and into Dracula.

A sweaty Buffy, Xander, and Faith put their hands up to their eyes shielding themselves from the light of the great flame that consumed the slayer and the count.

Clark watched on the only person's eyes not affected by the light of fire or the heat of the great blaze Claire has trapped herself and Dracula in. He watched as Dracula skin burned to black and then burned to ash as not even the air was immune to Claire's attack as the slayer collapsed and he calmly walked into a fire that would be suicidal for everyone else.

Buffy watched as the youngest slayer emerged from the fire in Clark's arms in a bridal carry. "W-what did you do?"

Claire wiped a small amount of soot off her face just about the only thing she can do right now. "A little something I learned from Giles taught me to mix my slayer powers with meteor powers. Dracula kept turning to mist and even mist and air can be burned… did I do something wrong?"

Clark shook his head. "I don't see how you can interpret killing Dracula as wrong. Let's go home."

"Here here" Xander added. Glad he was dead but Claire burned him so completely there wasn't any ashes to spit on… oh well.

* * *

The next day Faith sat next to Claire the two slayers letting the eldest speak her piece. "Wow, that's… really intense B."

Claire shrugged she doesn't feel any darker of course if you mention Luthorcorp there's a good chance she might burn the place down. "I don't feel any different."

Buffy nodded. Claire has been a prisoner for most of her life. She enjoys the freedom and the power. "Yeah so I'm just waiting for…"

Giles came in and saw the three slayers. "Oh Buffy called me is something wrong…" he looks at Faith she seemed to be the most uncomfortable. "Is Faith pregnant?"

Faith eyes widened hurt and upset. Why is she singled out? "I'll take a test and shove it up your English Channel G."

Giles took off his glasses used to Faith's vocabulary. "What I meant is you three seem upset with Faith being the worst and since Dracula's dead it struck me as a more normal problem and less… para. You're the only one in a relationship at the moment."

"Oh" Faith replied anger subsiding seeing it was just concern and would have asked Buffy if Angel was still around. "I'm fine and this is a para thing."

Buffy looked at them she hates being the eldest it usually means they let it fall on her to lead them. She turned to Giles and started. "You know, you're still teaching Claire, but… me and Faith, you haven't been our watcher for awhile. We haven't been training; we haven't needed to come to you for help -

Giles nodded emptily. He hates to admit it but he spent a good deal of his last year as a paid extra to give the magic shop some experience to help out Faith and Cordelia. "I agree."

Buffy nodded and continued. "And then this whole thing with Dracula, it's made me face up to some stuff. I've changed so much since I first became the slayer. I'm still changing. Ever since we did that spell that called on the first slayer… I've been going out a lot. Every night…"

"Patrolling." Giles asked. It is her duty.

Buffy shook her head. "Hunting. That's what Dracula called it, and he was right. He understood my power, better than I do. He saw darkness in it."

Buffy looked at him in a heartfelt tone to looking at him in pride. "I need to know more. About where I come from. About the other slayers. Maybe if I learn to control this thing... maybe I could even be better, stronger… But I'm scared. It's gonna be hard, and I can't do it… without you… I need your help. I need you to be my watcher again. We all do."

A long beat as this sinks in. Giles is moved, but fights to control his emotions in front of her. "Of course"

Faith smiled but that felt more for B then anyone else. She got up and decided to head out. Cordy agreed to watch the store for her today in exchange for going with the story that she remembers nothing.

* * *

Faith came into the house for an unexpected noise… music. Since when is that a thing. Faith walked up the steps hearing the music and smiled she recognizes the song Danny's song. Musician has taste. She walked up the stairs and nothing could have prepared when she went up to the attic and saw the person playing the guitar was Clark. "What the hell?"

Clark looked and to his surprise saw Faith. "Hey I thought you had work today?"

"I took a day after the fun with Dracula." Faith replied. "What is that?"

Clark looked down. "Oh… a guitar."

Faith nodded. "And since when do you play it?"

Clark looked down at it. "Seventh grade, a friend of the family Earl Jenkins taught me or at least tried to…"

Faith looked at him. "Why'd you stop back then? You weren't very good or something?"

"Very destructive fingers." Clark countered before showing a piece of blue kryptonite on a string. "Luckily since I moved to Sunnydale I've figured out a way around that."

Faith nodded. "Also a good thing you didn't realize that till now. If 17 year old me found out you were a musician she'd have tied you down and had her way with you before Christmas… looking back you'd have loved it."

Clark looked at her ready to complain but… can't.

Faith looked at him. "So what brought out the musician after all this time?"

Clark shrugged innocently. "I don't know…" Faith looked at him a simple look telling him to try again. "You seem to have complete control of your life. Ever since Dracula overwhelmed me and threw me down the basement I've been trying to figure out mine."

"What'd you figure out?" Faith asked.

"That I've taken it for granted." Clark answered. "You, my friends, my family… I guess with me being out of school, and no job to speak of it just made it easier to save other people's lives then to have one of my own… I don't know what I'm saying."

Faith looked at him. "You know what you're meant to do but you want to do other things too. You don't want your calling to define you and shut us out anymore."

Clark nodded. "Yeah, I guess so. Sounds selfish considering what I do huh?"

Faith shook her head in fierce denial. "No, no if you got too much into your calling you get what I've been this past summer."

Clark turned to her. "Is this about what's been going on with you recently?"

Faith nodded. "I've been out a lot recently. Sometimes all night... your disappearing act made it easy."

Clark looked at her. "Well you're a slayer I accepted that a long time ago. You fight evil it was just extra patrolling."

Faith shook her head. "I wasn't patrolling… I was hunting. The slayer power there's darkness in it. Dracula knew it and just…"

Clark gently grabbed her arm and pulled her down with him. "You can tell me anything. I'm right here."

Faith looked at him. "I've been doing this for two years…"

Clark nodded. "I know… I haven't completely tuned you out."

Faith shook her head. "No Clark, Two Years! And it's already happened once."

Clark looked at her and quickly caught on yeah two years, slayer life expectancy. "Faith, you beat the bell curve, not the time limit."

"Just saying it happened before and…"

"Faith! If you are ever going to listen to me… you listen to me right now." Clark said leaving little room for counters or complaints. "You, Buffy, Claire, none of you are normal slayers. The old school slayers had no one… all they had were English people that saw them as guns instead of girls. The watchers lived up to their title and while the three of you have friends family to look out for you." Clark looked to Faith with a smile. "You have a boyfriend who last year was going to screw you till you passed out and then vaporize the council off the face of the earth!"

Faith's eyes widened in surprise to say the least. That was like the pope pulling out an Uzi to her. "Whoa, that's unlike you. When was this?"

"When you accidentally drugged me with red kryptonite." Clark replied.

Faith nodded makes a little more sense… but still very out of character for him. "The same goes for you too. You know that right?"

Clark nodded. He knows. "Kind of became obvious when you tried to drown Alicia."

Faith involuntarily clutched a hand at her side. The fire stone stopped anything that might have been a scar but she still remembered the pain easily enough. "Still got a short lifeline. Me, Buffy, Kendra we all died once."

Clark nodded. "Faith you don't know how much time you have. Look at me, I'm supposed to be Immortal under a yellow sun yet I nearly died three times before I even came to Sunnydale."

Faith looked at him. "What demonic corn in Smallville?"

Clark now took the time to look at his own shoulder. "No, once was a fever that nearly killed me and my mom but my dad figured out to use the ship. Then there was a sniper who landed a flesh wound in my shoulder. But since the bullet was embedded into my shoulder and made of kryptonite it did so much damage it put me in a coma for a few hours. And I got stabbed by a mystical blade on my seventeenth birthday… fun times."

Faith looked at him. "So, your advice is don't worry be happy?"

Clark shook his head. "My advice is to enjoy your life, if you do nothing but worry all you're going to have is a stressful life at the end." Clark looked at her. "So, um… are we OK?"

Faith looked at him not sure what to say. "I don't know. I don't want to say put all this behind. I say we're getting there. You need to focus on a personal life and I need to chill out a bit... a line I never though I'd hear myself say."

Clark smiled and hugged her putting his arms around her waist pulling her close. "Getting there works for me."

Faith smiled and kissed him before looking down at the guitar. "So you know Danny's song?"

Clark nodded. "Yeah I shook off my guitar rust in a hour. I can give it a shot. But only if you sing." Faith looked at him. "What? You have a beautiful singing voice. I didn't forget about Caritas."

* * *

Martha and Jonathan came to their house and instead of the usual silence that has almost haunted this house over the summer they hear a guitar playing.

"Love the girl who holds the world in a paper cup  
Drink it up  
Love her and she'll bring you luck  
And if you find she helps your mind, better take her home  
Don't you live alone  
Try to earn what lovers own

And even though we ain't got money  
I'm so in love with you, honey  
And everything will bring a chain of love  
And in the morning, when I rise  
You bring a tear of joy to my eyes  
And tell me everything is gonna be alright"

Martha's eyes almost shot to a cartoonish proportion. "Is that Faith? I-I didn't know she can sing like that."

Jonathan shook his head. "First I've heard of it. Good to see Clark get back into guitar though."

Martha turned to him. "Clark can play guitar? How do I not know this?"

Jonathan nodded. "Uh… Earl taught him or at least tried to Clark kept breaking the strings." Jonathan smiled at the memory. "After the tenth string I was pretty sure Earl was going to shout at him till he was blue in the face… I'm guessing Clark found a way around that."

They heard one door open and two doors emphatically close.

Jonathan watched Martha head up the stairs and put his hand up to stop her. "You just can't help yourself can you?"

Jonathan watched as Faith was the first one down. "So is everything OK with you two?"

"There's room for improvement but we're working on it. So should be interesting." Faith replied.

Jonathan looked at her more curiously then anything. Given Faith's personality it wasn't exactly a song he was expecting. "So you have an incredible singing voice… but why Danny's song if you don't mind me asking."

Faith shook her head. "Nah it's cool. It's just before my mother discovered she could drink a lot more and the more passing out parts of life she used to sing it to me as a little girl." Faith looked stunted for a moment. Did she really just share that so easily?

Jonathan nodded. "Well it's nice that you have happy memories of her. I think she'd be proud of the person you became. I know I am." Jonathan stopped instantly. It's the effect a slayer bear hug has on a weak heart as he just held her.

Faith smiled until she saw herself in the mirror. "Oh my god." She broke the hug and saw the red trail going down her lip and up to almost her ear. She didn't stop till long after she should have. "I look like that freak in Gotham got me. Stall your son; tell him I'll be in the truck."

* * *

Clark came down the steps ready to go seeing his parents. The look they were giving him was uncomfortable to say the least. "Oh boy what I do now?"

Jonathan shook his head. "You didn't do anything I just wanted to talk."

Clark nodded trying to figure this out they did just see Faith right? "Did Faith bail on me?"

"No, no she's in truck I just wanted to know something." Jonathan said.

Clark nodded. "OK, what do you want to know?"

Jonathan looked at him calmly and asked. "Clark, five year ago I asked you a question... I think you owe me an answer. So, are you OK?"

Clark thought it over. Has it really been five years already since he's found out he's an alien? Time flies, more importantly his father wants an answer. Clark thought it through before finally answering. "Yeah… I'm getting there."

Jonathan and Martha smiled watching their son leave as the truck took off.

* * *

Buffy smiled getting dressed for the day with a bit of re invigoration after the Dracula ordeal.

"Where are you going again?" Joyce asked from outside.

Buffy smiled. "Going to the movies with Willow and Chloe. Clark and Faith are going too." Buffy said before muttering. "They might be going to a different theater."

Buffy went downstairs and then realized one very important detail. Her jacket… she ran back into her room only to see a girl with dark brown hair rifling through one of her boxes. "What are you doing here?"

The girl looked up ready to reply until

"Buffy? If you're going out... why don't you take you sister with you?"

It took a second for it to kick in before both sisters shouted. "Mom!"

* * *

Author Notes

Big Buffy Season 5 and potential ANP spoilers below

Thanks for the reviews

Thanks for the follows and favorites

My choice of Dawn well… I wanted to try something different but… I literally hit brick wall after brick wall doing it.

Claire while already the littlest slayer which made her the bottom choice to begin with... she inadvertantly incinerated her mother on birth and was turned over to Lionel by her father. She wouldn't care about any blood ties.

Clark would of course welcome another Kryptonian with open arms even one that's just a green ball of energy but… good luck to Glory trying to catch her with Dawn made of Clark's she'd be full kryptonian. Clark holds off Glory Dawn runs to Timbuktu

Faith, again given how much fun her family is and the hell her past was till Dana found her. Though the Kents would take her in the sister bond I just don't think would be there.

So as a reviewer in volume 2 said don't mess with what works Dawn will always be a piece of Buffy


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